Philomena Page #8

She obviously doesn’t get it.

PHILOMENA:

No, would you like a Tune?

He decides to let it go.

MARTIN:

Thank you.

He takes a Tune from the pack, unwraps it and pops it in his

mouth.

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PHILOMENA - Final Shooting Script 32.

As he’s doing this, PHILOMENA takes a St. Christopher from

the bag and hangs it on the vent in the dash board; MARTIN

watches as she pats it.

PHILOMENA:

For good luck.

MARTIN:

He was always my favourite Saint,

Christopher.

(Little smile)

Resisting those two beautiful women

sent to tempt him.

PHILOMENA:

Do you believe in God Martin?

MARTIN:

Well, where do you start. That’s a

very difficult question to answer,

isn’t it... Erm... do you?

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PHILOMENA:

Yes.

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CUT TO:

36 INT. BMW. ROSCREA ABBEY. DAY 36

The two of them suck Tunes as they enter Roscrea, the Abbey

getting closer. MARTIN sneaks a look at PHILOMENA but she

doesn’t appear to be unduly anxious. The car comes up the

drive.

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CUT TO:

37 EXT. ROSCREA ABBEY - DAY 37

The BMW pulls up outside the Abbey building and MARTIN helps

PHILOMENA out. They gaze up: the Abbey looks cleaner, somehow

more sterile - but it’s still the same oppressive, pebble-

dashed monolith set in acres of ground.

MARTIN:

You all right?

PHILOMENA:

I’m fine.

PHILOMENA leads the way up to the front door. She pauses for

a moment outside:

PHILOMENA (cont’d)

I’m one of the lucky ones Martin.

Some of the mothers and babies

didn’t even survive the childbirth.

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PHILOMENA - Final Shooting Script 33.

As we see this hit home with MARTIN, PHILOMENA presses the

buzzer and, after a few moments, a YOUNG AFRICAN NUN -

dressed much less formally than her 1950s counterparts in a

blue sweater and white blouse - opens the door.

YOUNG NUN:

Can I help you?

PHILOMENA:

I’m Philomena Lee. I made an

appointment.

YOUNG NUN:

Oh yes come in Philomena.

PHILOMENA:

And this is my friend Martin

Sixsmith News At Ten.

YOUNG NUN:

Oh, hello.

MARTIN:

(As they enter)

BBC news actually, but not any

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more.

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CUT TO:

38 INT. MEETING ROOM, ROSCREA - DAY 38

They are shown into a formal room reserved for sister

Claire’s official meetings, with a low table and chairs.

There is some iconography prominent on the walls, including

some Madonnas and a wooden crucifix with a brightly painted

figure of Jesus in red loin cloth, blood pouring from

stigmata wounds and a sword wound to his side.

YOUNG NUN:

Sister Claire will be with you

shortly. Would you like some tea?

MARTIN:

Oh yes please.

PHILOMENA:

Yes please. Can I use the bathroom?

YOUNG NUN:

It’s down stairs on-

PHILOMENA:

I know where it is.

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PHILOMENA - Final Shooting Script 34.

PHILOMENA leaves. MARTIN looks around, taking everything in -

intrigued by some framed photographs of the Abbey ‘then and

now’ on a section of wall.

CUT TO:

SCENE 39 DELETED

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CUT TO:

40 INT. WINDOW - DAY 40

PHILOMENA retraces her steps from all those years ago, climbs

some stairs and stands at the window where she last saw her

child, fifty years before.

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CUT TO:

41 INT. MEETING ROOM, ROSCREA - DAY 41

MARTIN is looking at the photos on the wall... a head and

shoulders photo from the early 60s of Mother Barbara and

YOUNG SISTER HILDEGARDE on the Abbey steps, starched Wimples,

crucifixes around their necks; a nun holding a baby; two nuns

tending rows of cots (as in scene 22).

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CUT TO:

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41A EXT. COURTYARD, ROSCREA - DAY 41A

CLOSE UP:
PHILOMENA, staring straight ahead. We stay on her

for a while, her face set and thoughtful. Then we...

CUT TO:

... what she’s looking at: that same view from the courtyard

she had fifty years ago. In her mind’s eye, it is just like

it was yesterday, the car carrying Anthony disappearing from

view over the rise.

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CUT TO:

42 INT. MEETING ROOM - DAY. 42

MARTIN moves on to a Hollywood publicity photo of the movie

star Jane Russell, busty and glamorous, looking incongruous

amongst the faded pictures of nuns and children. The photo is

signed:
‘With much love’. On MARTIN, puzzled.

CUT TO:

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PHILOMENA - Final Shooting Script 35.

42A INT. LAUNDRY. DAY. 42A

PHILOMENA stands looking at the room where the laundry used

to be. Behind her the window where she climbed up and saw the

posh car driving past.

CUT TO:

43 INT. MEETING ROOM, ROSCREA - DAY 43

MARTIN is being nosy, looking round the room. He stands at a

bay window and can see, through a window on the other side of

a courtyard, in a corridor on the other side of a courtyard

they overlook, a very old nun standing with two sticks,

staring at him (in fact, this is SISTER HILDEGARDE - though

we don’t know this yet).

SISTER CLAIRE (OOV)

Hello, I’m sister Claire.

Startled, he turns round. Sister CLAIRE is mid-40s, kind-

faced. She smiles cheerfully; his eyes flick to the crucifix

she also wears.

MARTIN:

Oh, hello...

He gestures back to the photos on the wall, trying to divert

her attention away from what he’s been looking at.

MARTIN (cont’d)

Just admiring your picture of Jayne

Mansfield.

SISTER CLAIRE:

No that’s Jane Russell. Jayne

Mansfield was the blonde one.

MARTIN:

Of yes of course, I mean they were

both very big - I mean the two of

them, they were huge. Their

careers.

He can’t stop himself glancing down at Sister CLAIRE’S bust.

MARTIN (cont’d)

Which one died in the car crash?

SISTER CLAIRE:

Jayne Mansfield, yes.

MARTIN:

She was decapitated wasn’t she?

SISTER CLAIRE:

I don’t know the details. I’m sure

it was horrible.

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PHILOMENA - Final Shooting Script 36.

MARTIN:

Why is she on the wall?

SISTER CLAIRE:

Sorry, I didn’t catch your name?

MARTIN:

Martin Sixsmith.

PHILOMENA enters the waiting area.

PHILOMENA:

(Brightly)

He’s Martin Sixsmith, News At Ten.

MARTIN:

BBC news actually. But I’m not with

them any more.

SISTER CLAIRE:

Hello Philomena, very nice to meet

you - ah, here’s the tea.

The YOUNG NUN lays some tea things and a plate of fruit bread

down in front of them and leaves. As SISTER CLAIRE sets the

tea and plates, MARTIN manoeuvres himself back to the bay

window, sneaks a look sideways and sees the Old Nun (Sister

HILDEGARDE) is still there.

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